Email Spam/Hacking Question

DukieInKansas · Post by **DukieInKansas** » February 3rd, 2012, 4:43 am

What do you do if people have received an email from your email address with a weird link? It was sent out at a time my computer wasn't even turned on. I had AVGs free virus scan software and have since purchased it and run a scan on my computer. I don't have any viruses per that scan. Is there anything I should do?

I do not understand how this happens - or why it happens. What is the purpose of sending out the emails from someone else's email?

Thanks for any guidance.

windsor · Post by **windsor** » February 3rd, 2012, 7:44 am

It is called spoofing. It did not, in all probabilty come from YOUR e-mail...it was simply made to LOOK like it came from you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-mail_spoofing

There is virtually nothing you can do about it except encourage your friends to check with you if they get anything odd.

On the other hand (there is always an 'other' hand) you do not need to have your computer on for someone to hack your e-mail...they are almost always hacked from the server side (logging on as you to your e-mails web access point).

I would, as a precaution, change that e-mail password just in case but it is probably a spoof.

DevilWearsPrada2.0 · Post by **DevilWearsPrada2.0** » February 3rd, 2012, 10:22 am

Thanks for that info! I get from time to time.... I just DELETE.

CameronBornAndBred · Post by **CameronBornAndBred** » February 3rd, 2012, 11:46 am

Windsor is dead on correct...but still as a safety measure it's a good idea to run a few programs to verify your computer is clean. Malwarebytes Anti-malware is a good one to start with. Google it, download it, and run it. It's free.

DukieInKansas · Post by **DukieInKansas** » February 3rd, 2012, 1:02 pm

CameronBornAndBred wrote:Windsor is dead on correct...but still as a safety measure it's a good idea to run a few programs to verify your computer is clean. Malwarebytes Anti-malware is a good one to start with. Google it, download it, and run it. It's free.

Thanks = I did forget to update and run that last night. Will do it this weekend.

DukieInKansas · Post by **DukieInKansas** » February 3rd, 2012, 1:03 pm

windsor wrote:It is called spoofing. It did not, in all probabilty come from YOUR e-mail...it was simply made to LOOK like it came from you.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-mail_spoofing

There is virtually nothing you can do about it except encourage your friends to check with you if they get anything odd.

On the other hand (there is always an 'other' hand) you do not need to have your computer on for someone to hack your e-mail...they are almost always hacked from the server side (logging on as you to your e-mails web access point).

I would, as a precaution, change that e-mail password just in case but it is probably a spoof.

Thanks, Windsor. I thought it really came from outside my computer but wasn't sure.

DevilAlumna · Post by **DevilAlumna** » February 4th, 2012, 12:13 am

Windsor touched upon this, but there's no need to have your computer on in order for someone to have accessed your email account and sent something out from it.

Change your email password. Make sure, if there's an alternate "you can also send account info here" email address, that it's still an email address you own.

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